maTechnology is arguably nowhere near perfect. Machines fail under many circumstances, several of which are not related to human error whatsoever. However, it’s also just as easy to say that technology has come a long way in the many years that humanity has been refining it in various fields. With such dedication to working technology, humanity has sent rockets into space, enabled instantaneous global communication and improved upon many luxuries and commodities that a lot of us take for granted to this very day. Just imagine how different your typical day would be if we hadn’t refined a refrigeration system or enabled running water into the typical American home. When utilized for its intended purpose, technology can be quite a boon for humanity and provide us with numerous opportunities on a daily basis.

Unfortunately, technology is not always used properly. That is a simple fact. Some people make a bad habit of taking some technologies for granted without utilizing them with full safety measures in mind. Sometimes these consequences can be as little as a non-issue or even a minor inconvenience. Sometimes they can be drastic or even fatal. Vehicles are the perfect example. How many parents fear the day that their teenage children will want to take to the road and take advantage of independence in operating a vehicle? Studies show that car accidents are the most frequent cause of death in American teenagers aged 16-19, more often than not due to failure to operate the vehicle properly. Some could blame it on a lack of experience, others might blame it on ignoring the fundamentals of driving as a whole and abusing the technology.

Consider a fatal accident in Austin, TX that left three teenage girls dead in a vehicle when they collided with a charter bus while presumably failing to yield. Witnesses to the scene even say that the car didn’t have any lights on while the vehicle was in operation. Perhaps the lights on the vehicle were malfunctioning, perhaps the drivers were neglectful of the fact that they were driving in unsafe conditions. In either case, an unfortunate responsibility needs to be placed where it belongs. While technology in various cases does have a habit of lending itself to catastrophe through no fault of anyone, the gross lack of sound judgment seems to play quite a factor in their tragic deaths that could have easily been avoided if such a risk was not taken. Luckily, this case did not result in any other deaths or serious injuries, as tragic as it is in and of itself. However, the reckless endangerment of other people cannot be overstated.

Modern technology has become more than just a staple in the lives of the typical American. It has become a near-necessity. The ability to operate motor vehicles, having access to others within a social network at a moment’s notice. But, at the same time, has it come to a point where we simultaneously take it all for granted that we can be as careless as leaving headlights off while driving at night? Again, blame it on a lack of experience or blame it on willful neglect. The fact of the matter is that access to a wide variety of technologies seems to have desensitized the public (or at least, the teenage population) from taking all measure of precautions. Technology in the right hands can be quite advantageous and a great benefit in terms of efficiency and productivity. At the same time, it can be quite the double-edged sword when abused or taken less seriously than may be required.